Protective
by beyondinspiring
Summary: Draco's protective of Hermione; she can't find out why.


**Protective**

The halls of the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry were silent, the entire school off on Christmas vacation, except for the selected view that had remained on the school grounds for the season. But even those students and staff were in the Great Hall enjoying a lovely Christmas Eve Dinner. That is, except for two.

The silence was suddenly disturbed by the sound of footsteps, two sets of footsteps, running hastily down the corridor towards their shared dormitory. The female of the two was running so quickly that her once tamed hair had loosened and looked like a mane behind her head, but she didn't care, she kept running, refusing to stop until she made it to her destination. The pair of footsteps behind her belonged to her "roommate", to whom was chasing the girl, while shouting out her name.

Upon reaching the dormitory portrait, she swiftly said the password and collapsed one of the many couches that decorated the head common room. A moment later, red faced and out of breath, ran in the Head Boy himself. He began to walk over to the Head Girls bed chamber, but stopped short when he noticed her curled up in a ball by the fireplace, sobbing.

As he slowly walked over, he whispered "Hermione?" Hermione, eyes shining with tears, looked up at the man before her. Draco's heart stopped at the sight before him. Hermione's dress was dishevelled, her face was red and her golden eyes shone with tears, and her hair looked like she was just struck by lightning. But Draco couldn't help thinking she never looked so beautiful.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry-"

"Why did you do it?" Hermione finally spoke, anger evident in her voice. "Draco how could you?" Draco looked away in shame; he couldn't explain to her why he did it. He couldn't risk her finding out. She could never find out.

"Are you listening to me? Why did you do it? What possible reason could you have?" Hermione was staring at Draco intensely, refusing to break eye contact. She needed to understand. She couldn't understand why Draco had punched Ron. Ron and she were simply dancing in the Great Hall, when suddenly Draco walked up to Ron and punched him square in the nose. The one punch turned into a fist fight, during which Hermione ran out in tears when neither refused to stop.

"Hermione, I…" Draco didn't know what to say. Hermione would be heartbroken if he told her the truth, plus she wouldn't believe him anyways. "I can't tell you" He sighed, looking to the floor.

"Why? Draco, you punched Ronald! What did he do to you?"

_It wasn't what he did to me, it was what he did to you,_ Draco thought bitterly. Draco had walked in on Ron and Lavender Brown snogging in the library, even though Ron was dating Hermione. Draco couldn't stand to see Hermione dancing with that cheating sod, so he punched him.

"Please Draco, tell me." Hermione pleaded, tears once again pooling in her golden eyes.

"He's cheating on you," whispered the blonde boy. Although he couldn't stand to see her get hurt over The Weasel, it was worse to sit here and cry.

"What…?" Hermione was confused, he didn't just say… "He's cheating on you Hermione. With Lavender. I saw them snogging yesterday in the Restricted Section."

The brunette quickly stood up, towering over the Slytherin. "What? I don't believe you! Malfoy, how could you lie to me like that?" Hermione looked furious, and Draco didn't blame her. Of course she didn't believe him. Why would she.

"I'm not lying Hermione." Draco stood up as well, but made sure to keep a few feet away from the furious Gryffindor. "Why would I lie about something like that?"

"I don't know! Why would you tell me the truth?" Hermione screeched. "What possible reason could you have to protect me? It's not like you care! To you I'm nothing but a pathetic, bushy-haired, know-it-all Gryffindor that doesn't know how to keep her nose out of the books. What possible reason could you have to want to protect me?"

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, DAMMIT." Draco blurted.

Hermione froze.

Draco's eyes widen, realizing what he had said.

"I-I-I mean…" Draco stuttered. How could he have said that out loud! That was something that she was never supposed to know. He wasn't even sure that he loved her until tonight when he saw her with Weasley and the jealously the flowed through him was too strong to be because of just a little crush. But he had said it, and there was no turning back now.

Letting out a breath he didn't know that he was holding in, he closed the space between them, taking her hands in his. "Yes, I love you. I can't describe how much I love you. And I know you might not believe me, and I know it's insane, but _I love you_ Hermione Granger. You drive me fucking crazy, but I couldn't stand to see you get hurt by anyone, especially not Ron Weasley. So that's why I punched him. I'm sorry."

Letting go of her hands, Draco turned away from Hermione, emotionally exhausted and wanting nothing more than to sleep away the memories of tonight. A hand on his arm prevented him from moving away-Hermione's hand. Walking around, the Gryffindor princess looked into the eyes of her former enemy. Grasping the back of his neck, she stood on her toes and graced his lips with hers.

Feeling Hermione's lips on his and her hand on the back of his neck lit a fire inside of Draco. Growling, he snaked his arms around her waist and pushed her mouth firmly to his. If someone had asked Hermione to describe the feelings she felt during that kiss, she wouldn't be able too. Moaning into his mouth, she pushed him against the wall, her hands in his hair.

Draco definitely had a feeling that he was forgiven.


End file.
